Because of You
by Bellacobfan21
Summary: Hermione was made Head Girl and Draco,Head Boy. A feat they had expected. What they didn't expect was to learn about each other along the way. They were enemies, everyone knew that. Yet, there were feelings there. Could they really be falling in love?
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: I do not own anything Harry Potter. That belongs to J.K. Rowling. Also, this will be my second fanfic ever and the first one was a Twilight one. That one came more naturally to me and I have been struggling with this one because it is a rather difficult story to write. I had this great idea after I heard a song and had to go with it. Also, I am keeping Dumbledore and Fred alive because I can't stand the fact that they died and it is just too weird, so in my story they lived. Please review and help me with this. I want it to be good and need all the help I can get. Thanks! ****J**

Chapter 1

It was a warm, sunny day on September first. Platform 9 ¾ had become as busy as it could be like every year when term was starting. Young wizards and witches alike were hurrying to say their last minute goodbyes to their families before the train to Hogwarts started rolling away. Hermione was already in her compartment trying to put her bags in the overhead storage. She had been made Head Girl this year and was to meet the new Head Boy for the train ride as well as Professor McGonagall. Harry and Ron were probably already in their compartment laughing and having a good time with their fellow friends and classmates. Hermione didn't know for sure who the Head Boy was but she had her sneaking suspicions that it would be Malfoy. She knew how Dumbledore's mind worked.

The war was over and Harry had defeated Voldemort. Hermione knew that he would, no matter how scared she had been at the time. She was scared for Harry but it wasn't so much Harry as it was that she was scared for her life, but they had all made it through with the exception of a few and everyone else was locked up in Azkaban. Every student had been permitted to come back and finish up their schooling at Hogwarts. It would be chaotic for a little while, but it was a small price to pay for a bigger and brighter future. All this played into why she knew Dumbledore would pick Malfoy to be Head Boy. His father was taken to Azkaban and his mom was locked up in St. Mungo's. He had no one and the war had done a number on him. Maybe if he had more responsibility he would have less time to over think everything, and maybe by putting Malfoy and her together she would be sure to rub off on him. But that was huge maybe and was wishful thinking on Dumbledore's part.

There was a knock on the door and Hermione turned to see the tall, blond, pale boy standing at the compartment door. "Granger," he acknowledged with a soft tone that came out in almost a whisper. He walked in and placed in his own luggage in the overhead storage across from Hermione. Hermione wasn't sure what to think. He had never spoken to her without so much as a nasty tone in his voice, but this time he was almost kind. "Malfoy," she spoke back. He sat down in front of her and she, too, took her seat. For a few minutes they sat in complete silence, neither daring to look at the other. Just as Draco was about to say something, Professor McGonagall walked into the compartment.

"Hello Miss Granger, Mister Malfoy," She spoke with an upbeat tone.

"Professor," they both said that the same time.

"I am sure you guys would like to know just what responsibilities and duties you both will have for this year. As you know, Head Boy and Girl have their own dormitories where they share a common room and a bathroom. You both are almost adults and we trust that you will act as such. Furthermore, as Head Boy and Girl you are in a sense the law for the prefects. What you say goes and so forth. When we give you a job to do you will do it with no questions asked and without hesitation. For the most part, those tasks are simple enough. One main one that I will ask of you guys this year is that in light of recent events we would like to hold a end of the year dance. I know what you are thinking. It's a whole year away so why do you need to know now, but you would be surprised just how much time is needed to plan a dance. Also, you are to never let down your guard when it comes to your duties. We don't want anyone to think that they can get away with anything do we?" She eyed both of them when she said this. "There shall be more instructions later, but when we get to Hogsmeade you two will have your own private carriage and are to leave first. No one else can leave until you do. We will need up front for the sorting ceremony. Otherwise, enjoy your role as Head Boy and Girl and I shall see you shortly." With that speech and a smile McGonagall was gone. Hermione knew what she meant when she said not to let any one get by with anything. After all, Harry and Ron would try and she is sure that Blaise, Pansy, and the rest of Malfoy's group would try to get away with anything that they could.

Once again the compartment was filled with silence, neither knowing what to say. Hermione stared out the window while Draco was leaning his head back against the seat with his eyes closed. Finally, Hermione decided to say something. "Do you think that we should make our rounds around the compartments. We only have to do one and if we get it over with now we won't have to worry about it later." She looked at him, unsure if he was asleep or not. She almost gave up getting an answer from him and as she stood, he let out a huge sigh. "I suppose, Granger. I'll go all the way to the end first and we will meet in the middle. Sound like a plan?" He stood up and walked off without another word. Now he was agreeing with her? Hermione wasn't sure what was going on and didn't know if she liked it. She shrugged it off and began her rounds. Eventually she made it to her friends compartment. Harry and Ron were in the middle of a travel size game of wizard's chess while Ginny and Neville were listening to Luna go on about Nufftails or something of the sort.

"Knock, Knock." She smiled at all of her friends.

"Hermione! Who is he? Is he cute? Are you excited?" Ginny asked overly excited. She was obviously referring to the new Head Boy. She had been hoping it wouldn't be Malfoy but someone she could see Hermione with. She wanted someone to cheer Hermione up after her and Ron had their tiff and decided it would be better if they just stayed friends. At least Hermione had felt that way about the whole situation.

"Slow down, Ginny. It's just Malfoy." Ginny's face grimaced when she said that. "It's going to be fine. He hasn't been, too, horrible yet. I have high hopes."

"Yet being the operative word, Hermione," Harry chimed in not bothering to look up from the board. Ron still not acknowledging Hermione's presence. She giggled towards Harry and said her goodbyes. She still had more compartments to make it through. "I will see you guys at dinner." They all went back to what they were doing as Hermione closed the door.

"Have a nice chat, Granger?" Draco asked jokingly. "Slacking on your duties already?"

"Oh, come on. Like you didn't stop to talk to your friends," she said with a little curiosity. He didn't say anything but walked past her towards their shared compartment. She just stood there not knowing what to do. Draco noticing that she hadn't moved called over his shoulder, "Coming, Granger?" She turned to follow suit after him.

"Can I ask you a question?" She asked just as soon as they closed the door to their compartment? "I mean, if it isn't going to bother you?" He gave her a skeptical look before giving her the go ahead. "Is there a reason you haven't gotten smart or called me a mudblood?" She looked at him questioningly. It seemed like ages before he even answered her.

"I don't know, Granger. I guess I just don't feel like it anymore. Waste of my time. Besides, if we have to live in such close quarters, I would rather not have to deal with the constant bickering anymore." He finished with a sigh, leaned his head back against the seat and closed his eyes. "Oh," was all she could manage to get out, still unsure of who this boy was in front of her, because it sure wasn't the boy she knew a year ago.


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: I do not own anything Harry Potter. Obviously though this story line is mine. I have read so many Draco/Hermione fanfics and I finally got the nerve to write this one. I don't know what it is about the pair, but I honestly like them better than Ron/Hermione. I hope you enjoy. P.S. My biggest inspiration came from The Melodramatic and her story called All They Want For Christmas which is on . Check it out!**

Chapter 2

Hermione began to pull her luggage off the overhead storage when she felt the train slowing down. She turned to see Draco still leaning back against the seat with his eyes closed, apparently he nodded off somewhere along the ride. He hadn't snored like Ron or Harry, so she hadn't realized he had been sleeping. Hermione gently nudged him. "Geroff!" he shouted. She jumped back. She wasn't expecting him to yell.

"I'm sorry, Malfoy. I… we are pulling into the station and since we have to be the first to leave to the castle, I thought I would wake you up." He looked at her with an almost apologetic look. He hadn't meant to yell at her, he just didn't realize it was her he was yelling at.

"It's fine, Granger. Thanks." He got up and pulled his luggage down. Soon after the train came to a complete stop and both the Heads hopped off the train and into their carriage. As soon as they were seated it began to pull off. Hermione looked behind her to see the rest of the students filing out of the train. She smiled when she saw the first years being brought to the boats by Hagrid. She turned around when she heard Draco ask her a question.

"Being sentimental?" He looked at her quizzically with one eyebrow raised.

"Don't you remember your first day here?" She questioned back. He didn't answer her. He just looked towards the forest. Hermione didn't dare ask him again. She just decided to let it go, for now. The carriage gently trudged forward until they reached the castle. Professor Dumbledore and Professor McGonagall were already waiting for the two at the main doors.

"If you two will follow us to the Great Hall, please," Dumbledore said with a smile. Hermione noticed the gleam in his eye as he spoke. She thought she saw him wink at her as well. She looked at Draco to see if he had noticed and then quickly back at Dumbledore, guessing that he hadn't seen anything at all from the look on his face. Dumbledore and the others walked urgently to the Great Hall where Hermione and Draco were told to stand on either side of the sorting hat. They were to take turns welcoming each first year and placing the hat on their heads. Dumbledore would be giving his usual welcome back and welcome to Hogwarts speech. "We're starting you off light, but be warned that the duties will get more difficult as the year goes on." By then the Great Hall was filling up with students. Hermione smiled at her friends as they walked through the door. Harry winked at her, Ginny waved furiously, and Ron refused to glance in her direction.

"Is Weaselbe having issues with you, Granger?" Draco asked her with a smirk.

She didn't answer him but rather rolled her eyes and stood staring forward. The sound of someone clearing their throat could be heard behind them. Hermione turned to look behind her. Professor McGonagall came closer and spoke to the crowd. "I know you all are hungry and would love for the feast to start, but Hagrid is right out front with the first years and you all know how the sorting ceremony will go. Try to hold your patience just a little bit longer. Mr. Malfoy and Ms. Granger are helping us with the ceremony so please save them their seats. We wouldn't want to them to go hungry would we?" She giggled to herself. Just then the doors swung open and all the first years began to make their way to the front of the room just as Hagrid had instructed. McGonagall made her way back to her seat just as Dumbledore stood up.

"Welcome to Hogwarts to the first years and welcome back to all the others. Dinner will start shortly, but first for you first years you have to be separated into your houses. As most of you know, and if you don't then you will soon, Hogwarts has four Houses. These houses will be very important to you because every year that you are here you will be in the same house. The people you will grow to know will become like your family and you will meet many friends along the journey. You will also sleep, study, relax, and be merry in these houses. You will find that they all have their own common rooms and dormitories and only people from your house will be allowed in them. You guys alone will have your own passwords. The four houses are Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin. They all have their own histories and you will definitely learn them while being here. It doesn't matter whether or not you are in a certain house or not because great witches and wizards have come from all. You will see before you these odd looking hat sitting on a stool. This hat alone will determine what house you will be sorted into. Now please stand silently and wait for your name to be called. We will go in alphabetical order, but before we call names the hat has something to say." Dumbledore quieted down and sat while the sorting hat began his rhyme.

"_Welcome to Hogwarts, _

_a fine school indeed,_

_You will find no better _

_one than thee._

_I know I look funny, _

_talking and all,_

_But what you get with me _

_is what you just saw._

_Dumbledore is great _

_and truly adored,_

_But even he can't sort _

_worth the Grufflenuff Hored._

_I am the Sorting Hat _

_and there is nothing I can't see,_

_You can try all you want _

_but you cannot flee._

_The Gryffindors are brave _

_and almost royal, _

_The Hufflepuffs are just _

_and extremely loyal._

_Ravenclaws are smart_

_and all about learning,_

_The Slytherins are popular_

_and are very cunning._

_So put me on your head _

_and let's get to sorting._

_I am ready to begin _

_and start the reporting."_

Hermione always found the sorting hat's rhymes rather fun and with hearing it she couldn't help but smile. Draco on the other hand found it rather a pain in the neck and wished he didn't have to hear it even if it was different every year. Dumbledore called the first name on the list and one by one the hat put them into their houses. Thirty minutes later the ceremony was over and everyone was seated. Dumbledore excused the Heads and allowed them to join their houses. Hermione walked towards her table and glanced over towards the spot Draco usually sat in but saw that it was filled by another body. She looked around and saw the he had sat and the very end of the table closest to the Great Hall's doors. She looked away before he noticed her staring and sat down next to Harry.

"Did you notice where Malfoy was sitting?" She asked him. He shook his head no and turned towards the Slytherin table. He turned back to look at Hermione.

"That's really odd. Wonder why he is sitting alone? Must have really made his friends mad." Harry turned back to his meal and began talking with Ron and Ginny. The meal went for another hour before Dumbledore excused everyone except the first years to their dorms. While everyone left he explained that they were to follow their prefects back to their dorms where they would go over some rules. Hermione and Draco were free from this particular duty, so Hermione waited until all the first years were out before she headed to the Head's common room. As she walked out of the Great Hall, she was shocked to see Draco Malfoy standing on the opposite wall.

"You are about the slowest person ever." He didn't look at her as he said this.

"Waiting on me, Malfoy?" She was so confused.

"Well, I am not really sure where to go."

"Oh my gosh. I don't think either one of them told us. How funny." She turned right back around walked up to the Grand table. Dumbledore, knowing why she was there, began to laugh hysterically.

"You know, I don't believe I have ever forgotten to tell the Heads where they will be living. Follow me." Hermione did as she was told and followed him out of the hall and waved at Draco to follow suit. Dumbledore took them through four different corridors and up two different stairs, the last one moving just as they got off. Finally, they came to a portrait of beautiful young lady sitting in front of a fountain fanning herself. She smiled gently down at them and even winked at Draco. Hermione let herself giggle. "Hello dear Genevieve. These will be your new tenants."

"Hello there dear Dumbledore. I trust you know the password then?" She giggled and then smiled sweetly to him.

"Ah, yes, that I do remember. The password is Dranalilly." The portrait swung open to reveal a huge common room with exquisite furniture. The couch had claw feet and was a beautiful shade of white with two chairs on the side to match. They all sat in front of a fireplace with a marble hearth and a beautiful rug with all the houses and colors on it was placed between the fireplace and the furniture. There were bookshelves all along the back wall and two huge windows between them. They view was almost the entire grounds and the Quidditch Pitch. "I will let you guys get settled. I hope everything is to your liking. Good thing you guys have the weekend before the classes start." He exited swiftly through the portrait hole.

"It really is a wonderful room. I can't wait to fill these bookshelves." She spoke more to herself than to Draco.

"Granger, I am pretty sure that those bookshelves will be filled with our projects and not with library books." He sat down on the couch and closed his eyes, not waiting for a reply. Hermione ignored him and walked towards the bathroom. She opened the door to an entirely marbled bathroom. The bathtub was big enough to swim in and do laps. There was a bear skin rug in the middle of the floor and the sink was in the middle of a long counter with a huge mirror. The toilet almost looked like a throne. She felt almost like a princess. She ran her fingers over the faucet in the bathtub and shrieked when the water turned on. "Didn't you know that it turns on when it senses you near?" She turned quickly to see Draco leaning against the door frame smirking at her. She really hated that smirk, mostly because it made him more attractive then he needed to be.

"I was just surprised is all."

"Well, I am off to bed, Granger. I take showers in the morning so try not to disturb me."

"I don't think that there is a shower in here."

"Seriously, Granger, don't you know anything. A wave of your wand will raise the faucet up and there will be a shower. And you are supposed to be the brightest witch of your time?" There was the Malfoy she knew. She found herself smiling at that and Draco definitely noticed. "What's gotten into you?" He turned and left before she could say anything. She, too, left the bathroom and went up to her room. She walked in as was instantly mesmerized. Her bed was a huge king size bed and the entire room was done in Gryffindor colors, which made her realize that his was probably done in Slytherin colors. She quickly changed into her pajamas noticing how tired she was and decided she would unpack in the morning after breakfast. She crawled into bed where she was instantly asleep and not exactly anticipating the dream that she would have.


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: I do not own anything Harry Potter except the story line. Please review. **

Chapter 3

"_You look beautiful, Granger." Hermione was standing right outside of the Heads bathroom dressed in a gorgeous lavender ball gown. She looked to the floor when she felt her cheeks getting hot. _

"_Thank you, Malfoy." She said meeting his eyes_

"_You're going to knock them dead at the dance. I am going to get really jealous when all those guys try to come and whisk you away." He smiled endearingly at her._

"_Really? And why is that?" She tried to hold her ground._

"_I feel like I have this unspoken claim on you. I like you, Granger." He slowly walked towards her and took her hands in his. "More than I thought I ever would." He traced his hands up her bare arms before placing both his hands on her cheeks. He leaned in close to her face, his lips barely touching hers. "You wormed into my heart, and now you will pay." She could feel the smirk on his face and then his lips were on hers in a hot, tangling mess. She found herself hankering for more and didn't want it to end. _

A loud boom from thunder sounded and Hermione sat straight up in her bed. She looked at her watch to see that it was six in the morning, but thanks to the thunder and her dream she was wide awake. Hermione decided that she would go take a shower. Gathering her things she made her way to the bathroom. Even though it was early she knocked just to make sure that Draco wasn't in there. She ran the water and waved her wand to raise the faucet up and then stepped into the shower. She tried to get the images of her dream out of her head as she washed her hair but her attempt to do so was failing miserably. Why had she dreamt that? Where did it come from? Frustrated, she finished her shower, got dressed, and brushed her teeth. It was still storming outside and too early for breakfast so she decided to go upstairs and try to unpack. Leaving the bathroom she bumped into something firm and hard and fell to the ground.

"You should really pay attention to where your walking," Draco said sarcastically. He held out his hand to help her up. Hermione stared at it for a minute, not really sure she should take it or not. "I'm not going to bite you." She took his hand and he pulled her up.

"Thank you." She gave him a weak smile and made to walk around him quickly. She could feel her face getting hot and didn't want him to see her all flustered.

"No problem, Granger. I hope you didn't use all the hot water, but it's no matter. I will just charm it." Hermione heard the bathroom door being shut and continued to walk upstairs to her bedroom. Why was he being so nice? Was he up to something? She began to unpack and that helped take her mind off things. She managed to get everything set up and in it's perfect place. Hermione glance down at her watch and saw that breakfast had started and she suddenly felt the growling in her stomach. She left her room and walked quickly down to the common room where she saw Draco sitting on the couch. He was facing the fireplace with a blank stare on his face. There wasn't even a fire going. She didn't know whether or not to say anything, but she felt obligated to.

"Draco? Are you ok?" She asked, before she realized she just used his first name. He looked at her, kind of confused and uncomfortable by the fact that she just used his first name.

"Um, yeah.. Grang…Hermione." He tested out her name on his lips and decided he didn't feel comfortable with that just yet. "Granger," he added correcting himself.

"I'm sorry. I know we are not on a first name basis. It just kind of slipped out."

"It's ok." He looked at her and gave her a weak, forced smile.

"Well, I am going to breakfast." And with that she head out of the portrait hole. She walked through the halls slowly. She still couldn't understand the civility between the two. It was almost as if the past six years never happened. She didn't even know if she liked it. She turned the corner and walked through the huge doors leading into the Great Hall. Ginny and Harry where already sitting there eating along with Ron. She sat down beside Ron because Ginny had taken her seat beside Harry. You could have cut the tension with a knife. She suddenly would have rather been in the Heads common room with the awkwardness between her and Draco.

"Morning, _everyone_," she stretched everyone so that Ron knew she was talking to him as well.

"Morning, 'Mione. How did you sleep last night in your new room?" Ginny asked.

Suddenly she felt embarrassed. She couldn't tell Ginny about her dream. Not in front of the other two. She felt her face getting hot and Ginny gave her a questioning look. "I slept fine, Ginny. The bed is huge and the room is really quite comfortable. Oh and the bathroom! You have got to come see it." She tried her best to cover up her thoughts. Ginny gave her an huge smile.

"I definitely will have to. I hope you don't mind that I sat over here today. Ron was being a prat."

"No, I don't."

"Good morning, Hermione," Harry said to her. "It just wasn't the same with you not hanging out with us in the common room. I trust that everything went ok with Malfoy considering he is still alive." He winked at, and then tilted his head in the direction of the Slytherin table.

"Yes, well. That's a story for a little later." She tried to hint in her voice that she would tell him later, and then she nodded her head so slightly towards Ron hoping that he wouldn't notice.

"Oh, so what? You are going to tell me anything anymore?" Ron had spoken up out of the blue. It took everyone by surprise.

"You haven't spoken to me, Ron. I'm sorry," she barked.

Ron scoffed. "I haven't spoken to you because you broke us up. I wasn't ready for that. You know that."

At that point Hermione was fuming. She hadn't been the one that suggested they break up, but once it was set out there she thought it would be best. They had just grown apart, and Ron still acted very immature. She needed more maturity in her life. "You are such a prat! You know very well it was mutual and this whole thing isn't my fault. Grow up!" She stood up and left the Great Hall without another word. Draco who had been sitting in his own little world at the Slytherin table took notice to this. He watched as Ron threw his fork down and sulked. Harry and Ginny stood up to leave as well.

Meanwhile, Hermione was storming around on the grounds outside the castle. She stomped over to a tree right beside the lake and sat down. Ron was so infuriating. He could never take responsibility for anything and he always blamed everyone else. She pulled her knees up to her stomach, wrapped her arms around them, and rested her head against them. It wasn't too long before she felt someone sit down beside her.

"You have go to learn to ignore him, 'Mione," Harry gently said. She raised her head up. Then she gently rested it against his shoulder.

"He is just so infuriating. You were there, Harry. You were there when we decided to call it quits. He said he wanted out of the relationship first, and then when I thought about it I agreed. Why is he trying to make me feel like I purposely hurt him." Tears were coming down her face now.

"You know how he is. Ron will say he wants something but in all actuality he doesn't really want it, because it hasn't got a clue what he wants. He's upset Hermione because he never really wanted to let you go. Now that it's over with, he is feeling lost. Last night he said he wasn't sure he could be around you. I don't believe that for a minute. He'll get over you. Just give him time."

"We weren't right for each other. We're just better off being friends. I still love him, Harry, but just like a brother. Like you."

"I now, Hermione. It will get better." He kissed the top of her head. She lifted her head and gave him a smile.

"Thanks, Harry." She stared at the lake for a minute and then remembered that Ginny had stolen her seat this morning. She knew that Ginny like Harry and vice versa. "So, you and Ginny were looking awfully comfortable together this morning. Any reason in particular why she stole my seat, because she deals with Ron on a daily basis. I'm sure this one time wasn't any different."

"We've been sort of seeing each other. We just haven't told you or Ron, yet. Not that Ginny didn't want to tell you. She just hasn't had the chance. After you and Ron broke up we didn't want to give you news like that and because you are Head Girl we didn't get to ride with you on the train. Plus, we are still wanting to wait to tell Ron. Don't tell Ginny I told you. She would kill me. She really wanted to tell you herself."

"Well, I had expected this much and I promise I will act very excited." She looked at the ground and was almost lost in thought.

"You want to tell me about, Malfoy?" Hermione looked up, quickly.

"I,um, don't really know where to start. He has been so different. I mean really different." She tried to replay the previous day and this morning in her head.

"Different, how?"

"Well, for one, he hasn't been mean to me. In fact, he's been rather nice. He didn't call me a mudblood yesterday on the train. And this morning, I bumped into him coming out of the bathroom and fell to the ground. He actually offered me his hand to help me up."

"Are you serious? That not like Malfoy at all. Normally he would have just left you lying there with some smart ass comment." Harry looked out at the lake with a questioning look.

"I know. I'm curious to see where this goes. I didn't want to say anything at breakfast because of Ron."

"I know and just be careful, 'Mione. If things get out of hand, you let me know. Like if Malfoy takes a turn for the worst."

"I will, Harry." They both stood up and gave each other a hug.

"I have to get back to the common room. I let Ginny go on ahead because I wanted to make sure you were ok. Let's hang out soon, ok?" Hermione nodded her head in agreement. "Bye, 'Mione." Hermione bid him goodbye and turned to stare back at the lake. There was a lot happening in so little time and class hadn't even started yet.


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N I still don't own anything Harry Potter… please review guys! It would mean a lot to me. Especially since I am really struggling with this story. **

Chapter 4

Hermione made her way back to the Heads common room. She was lost in thought like always and not really paying attention to where she was going. Rounding the corner, she walked head first into a suit of armor. Embarrassed, she looked around to see if anyone saw her do it. It didn't seem like they did so she just kept walking. She finally got to the portrait and saw that Draco was standing outside of the common room, arguing with the young lady in the picture.

"You saw me yesterday with Dumbledore and Hermione. You also saw me leave today. So obviously I am allowed to be in here. I know I cannot remember the password, but I will get it later. Please, just this once can I go in?"

"I am sorry dear, but you know the rules. I don't think Dumbledore would be that pleased with me if I bent the rules for you even if you are Head Boy."

"Ugh! Thanks for nothing!" He sank down against the wall still not noticing Hermione. He brought his knees to his chest and placed his head against the wall and then closed his eyes. Hermione wasn't sure if she should walk up to him, but then again she really wanted to go to her room. She stepped in front of him and cleared her throat. Draco opened his eyes to see Hermione holding her hand out to him to help him up. He took it with a half-hearted smile.

"I remember the password, Malfoy. It's Dranalilly for future reference," she said as she pulled him up. The portrait swung open and allowed them to walk through.

"Thanks, Granger." He started to walk towards his own room, as did she. Hermione suddenly felt an urge to sit down and talk to him but didn't allow herself to. She had never gotten a feeling like that about Malfoy before and never really had a reason to. His whole demeanor about him had made him highly unbearable and intolerable. At this point, Ron Weasley was definitely working his way up to both of those things and Draco was slowly making his way from being a bigot to civility. She made her way through her doorway into her room but decided to leave her door open. Then, she walked over to her window and opened it up and let the wind blow through to bring some air into her castle quarters. As the wind blew, the smell of rain came through. It wasn't quite raining yet but it was definitely coming. Hopefully it wouldn't storm too bad or last extremely long. The sun made for a brighter day and a happy Hermione. Plus, she was sure that the boys, along with Ginny, would love to go get some Quidditch practice in, and the rain made it hard for Hermione to concentrate when she read which was exactly what she felt like doing. Cracking open a muggle novel and settling into the red and gold, plush armchair in her room, Hermione quickly became absorbed into book land. Meanwhile in the Gryffindor common room, Ginny was having a go with her brother.

"Ron, you are such a prat! You have got to liven up about the whole situation with Hermione. You are going to drive her away and there won't even be a friendship anymore. Do you want to give that up, too?" Ginny was hovering above him as he was sitting on the couch.

"Serves her right. Why would I even want to be friends with a know-it-all like her anyway. She's always putting me down, and she isn't even that good looking. I could find someone better," he spat back at his sister. Ginny almost blew a gasket.

"She's bloody gorgeous you arse!" Harry had to grab a hold of her arms behind her back for fear that she might try and choke the life out of Ron. He thought twice about it. Ron was highly disappointing him with his attitude. "As for her always putting you down, I seem to remember a bunch of times you have taken some hurtful hits at her as well. In fact, the only times that I can ever think of you standing up for her or made her feel better is when Malfoy would call her a mudblood! And that's only because you hate that word!" She yanked her arms away from Harry and smacked him across his face. Ron jumped to his feet ready to retaliate. Realizing what was going on, Dean Thomas and Seamus Finnigan ran over to help. Both each grabbing his arms and holding him away from her. Harry having realized his chance grabbed a hold of Ginny again and dragged her towards the portrait hole all they while she was still yelling at Ron. "As for finding someone better, good bloody luck with that you git. She _was_ the best. She's the beautiful rose bloom and now you have to settle for the thorns!" Ginny threw her head back and laughed which made Dean and Seamus have to hold onto Ron twice as hard. His face now matched the color of his hair.

Harry and Ginny were walking aimlessly around the castle. He wanted to give her and Ron both time to cool down. Nothing good would come of them being so close together right then. He felt obligated to say something because they had been walking in silence. "Ginny, you know how Ron is and he is going to continue to be stubborn about this whole situation. You have got to let him ride it out and let him learn from his mistakes. It won't happen any other way." He looked at his girlfriend with sympathetic eyes.

"Oh, Harry, he just makes my blood boil!" She stopped to look out a nearby window. "I know Hermione is happier without him, but I always dreamed of having a sister and I thought that they could have been the real deal. It deeply saddens me, but I know that there is a better and more perfect man out their for her and that it's not Ron." She turned to look at her boyfriend almost in tears. He pulled her into a hug and placed his lips on the top of her head. She sobbed into his chest for a while before anyone said anything.

"Ginny, you and Hermione are so close. You are best friends, practically sisters. Nothing will change that. She may not marry into your family, but she will always be a part of your family." He pulled her chin up so that there eyes were locked. "Always remember that." He then leaned down and gently kissed her.

Ginny pulled away and smiled at him. "You are the sweetest and the best boyfriend ever. Thank you so much for being mine." Harry beamed back at her and told her that she was welcome. Grabbing each others hands they both headed back towards the common room.

Back in the Head's quarters Hermione still hadn't moved from her reading chair and Draco had made his way towards the couch in the common room. From where he was sitting he had a perfect view of Hermione's room with the door open like it was. His eyes had been fixated on her for quite sometime, but he wasn't really staring at her. He was just lost in thought. He managed to turn his eyes away from her, thankful that she hadn't noticed him. He didn't want to stay sitting around because then he would think and nothing good came of that. Yet, he didn't really know what else to do. Before he could think of anything to do, a voice came through the room. "Professor McGonagall is here to see the two of you dears." Surprised Draco made his way over to the portrait hole.

"Hello, Mr. Malfoy. Might I have a word with you and Ms. Granger?" Professor McGonagall asked. Draco nodded and allowed her to step through into the dorm. Hermione had marked her place and swiftly came down stairs.

"Hello, Professor," Hermione said pleasantly and motioned for McGonagall to sit in the nearest arm chair while Hermione and Draco took seats on the couch still far away from each other. Hermione sat on the end closest to McGonagall.

"Well, I know it is only Saturday but you have to have your first meeting with the prefects tonight and there is a lot to discuss. For instance, you need to come up with a schedule of who is going to patrol the grounds and when. Keep in mind that everyone should always have a buddy. The war may be over, but there will always be danger, plus it can get quite lonely strutting about the castle and the grounds by yourself. Furthermore, prefects can only deduct house points with approval through the two of you. You can go about this anyway you like. If you want to setup a system where they check in with you or you can give them a list of the things you will approve of and how many points to take away. I actually like that idea better because its more efficient. It's just tiresome and annoying to have to do it any other way. Remember not to show favoritism. It only makes for petty arguments later and especially when it comes to your own house points, do not shy away from doing so. You may not like it but it has to be done. We will be allowing a Hogsmeade trip in 3 weeks and its up to you and the rest of the prefects to organize this as well. The rules are still the same, but this year we kind of want to mix it up a bit. For all the students who cannot go, we considered hosting game days and such… you can discuss that at tonight's meeting. Be aware that we actually do have a closet somewhere in this castle full of wizarding games. I don't remember where but Professor Dumbledore does and I'm sure he would have no problem showing where it is. I know this seems like a lot of information and stuff to do already, but you will see that once you sit down and start working on it that it won't be that bad." She smiled at both students and made to stand up. She turned to walk out of the portrait hole, but then stopped suddenly. "Also, I would like to congratulate you both on being Head Boy and Girl and I don't think that we could have picked a better pair." Then she was gone.

Both students were in a daze from all the information that was just handed to them. Hermione was the first to speak. "What time do you want to call the meeting tonight? We can have it here as long as one of us is by the portrait to let them in." She stared at Draco with her brown eyes and he almost couldn't answer. "Draco?"

"Oh, um, well sometime after dinner would be best and having the meeting here sounds fine to me." He tried not to look at her as he spoke.

"Well, how about I send an owl out to everyone about meeting here at 8?" She noticed him avoiding her and began to search his face for answers.

"Sounds fine, Granger." He could feel her staring at him, but still couldn't bring himself to look at her.

"Also, I think you and I should take the first patrol tonight. Just to make it easier on scheduling and so the prefects won't have to worry about volunteering." She figured this would at least make him have some sort of protest, and that he might actually acknowledge her with a little more effort.

"Ok, that will work. I am going for a walk. The password is Dranalilly, right?" This time he turned to look at her as he stood up.

"Yes," she smiled at him and he nodded to her as he walked through the portrait.

Dinner that night passed by too slowly for Hermione. She found herself really intrigued to see how this meeting and patrol with Draco would go. She kept glancing over at him all through dinner and every time she would catch his eye. Harry wasn't oblivious to any of it, but he knew not to say anything. She had ignored Ron's comments all through dinner, mostly because she didn't hear any of them and at one point everyone stopped trying to make conversation with her. Hermione had gone into her own world. Even though she was physically sitting there, she was elsewhere mentally.

The meeting went ok, until the two Slytherin prefects decided it would be funny to disagree with everything and refused to do any patrols unless they were with each other. Eventually, Hermione had enough of all their ignorance. "Allow me to lay down the law," she shouted over everyone with such force that even the Slytherins went quiet. Then she stared them down. "It doesn't matter whether you want to patrol the castle with anyone else or not because you are not in charge. Draco and I are. If you continue down the path you are on, I will be more than happy to speak with Dumbledore and see about getting another set of prefects who will actually do their job right." Both of the Slytherins were quiet and avoided looking at either Draco or Hermione and Draco had to hide his laughter under his breath. Eventually everything was settled and the schedule was made. Hermione would have a copy made for everyone and owl it to them in the morning.

The last person was out of the portrait and Draco plopped down on the couch. Hermione could tell he was exhausted and almost didn't have the heart to ruin his rest, but they had some patrolling to do. "Don't get too comfortable, Malfoy, we have to get going in a minute." He let a huge sigh and stood up. He watched as Hermione began to clean up the mess from the meeting and decided that he would help her put things away. She looked up at him with disbelief that he was helping but continued organizing the paperwork. Just as soon as they were done Draco started towards the portrait and Hermione followed. He was walking rather fast through the corridors and Hermione was having issues trying to keep up. He was a lot taller than she was so naturally his steps were twice as big as hers. "Malfoy, can you slow down please? I know you want to get this over with but if we are going to do it we should do it efficiently and I cannot keep up with you," she shouted to him. He let out a huge huff and slowed his pace.

"It's not my fault your too short and too slow." His cocky attitude was back. Mostly because he was tired and just didn't want to work anymore.

"Well, it's not my fault either."

"No, that would be your muggle parent's fault." Just as soon as he said it, he knew he shouldn't have and felt guilty. She ran in front of him and stopped him dead in his tracks.

"You _will_ not bring up my muggleborn parents again. They have nothing to do with the school or with you and me." She gave him a stern look and kept walking down the corridor they were in.

"Hermione," he called after her with the intention of using her first name. He knew it would get her attention. "I am sorry, it was an old force of habitat and I didn't mean it. I'm just really tired and cranky."

She turned to face him. "Why are you being so nice all the time? I mean, I know you said on the train that you didn't want to argue with me and you were just tired of it, but that doesn't mean that you have to be nice. Or even hold a conversation with me." She stared him down, determined to get an answer. Draco stared back trying to figure out what to say to her, because he wasn't quite sure himself, when footsteps could be heard around the corner. He gave her an apologetic look as he walked in the directions of the footsteps. Hermione rolled her eyes and followed.

"Lumos," Draco muttered into the darkness and his wand lit up showing the face of Blaise Zambini. "You're out past curfew, Blaise. Get back to your dorm."

"Or what? What is the big bad Head boy going to do to me? Deduct house points? It's not like they really matter anyway." He glanced past Draco at Hermione and scoffed. "Not only do you betray your entire family, but now you hang around with mudbloods? If only your father knew." He laughed into Draco's face.

"My father and I are no longer connected and you very well know this. What I do is my business and no one else's. If I choose to hang out with Muggleborns then so be it, but don't you forget that she is still the Head girl and has every authority to do to you what she will, so I wouldn't try to piss her off. Your two Slytherin prefects learned their lesson tonight. Detention for a week. You will report to Filch at 8 p.m. starting tomorrow night. It will continue until the following Sunday. I will leave him specific instructions on just what to do with you, now get out of my face and back to your dorm or I will double it and take you to McGonagall or Dumbledore myself." He pointed his wand towards the hallway that Blaise had just came from and watched as the glaring Slytherin walked backwards away from him. He then turned and walked the other direction to finish his rounds with Hermione. She didn't dare say anything to him except for what was necessary. Inside, however, she was dying to know why the former friends had just been at each other's throats and why Draco hadn't used the term mudblood when he had the chance. He never answered her question either, but she figured she would save it for another day.

Weeks went by without too many issues. There had been a couple of meetings with the prefects just to make sure everyone was on track and to see that the first dance was getting started on. Draco would enclose himself in his room a lot while Hermione sat in the common room doing homework by herself. Sometimes, when he felt social enough, he would venture out and join her. She found herself enjoying his company more than she thought, partially because he was brilliant and it was easier to do homework with someone who wasn't asking what this or that was and how to do certain spells all the time. He understood it. It was also nice not having to correct anyone's homework all the time as well. Still, she never brought the question up. She figured she would asked again when the time was just right.

Draco found himself enjoying her company as well and noticed the difference it made when there was actually someone to talk to. Draco was also very thankful she hadn't brought up that question for the night in the corridors because he still didn't have an answer for her. He just knew he enjoyed having company. He hated when mealtimes came around because then he had to eat alone, and he got to watch as Hermione laughed and talked with her friends. Every now and then their eyes would meet across the room and she would shoot him a quick smile. He would try his hardest to give her one back but he would always lock eyes with Ron Weasley after. If looks could kill, Ron would have killed him ages ago.

"So how is the whole Malfoy thing going?" Harry asked Hermione one meal.

"Fine, really. He seems lonely. I can only imagine how his summer was, what with his dad in Azkaban and his mom being dead and all. I don't even know if he stayed in his manor at all. I wouldn't want to. And it doesn't seem like he has any friends anymore. Blaise and Draco got into it the night we did our first patrol. It was rather upsetting to watch." She admitted to them. He hadn't been as difficult to talk to them about Draco as she thought it would be.

"You are patrolling with him, in the castle alone?" Ron looked really infuriated by this.

"Yes, Ronald. I did. It was only one time and it was just so the prefects didn't have to bother volunteering their second night back. Alright?" She was easily getting annoyed with his reaction.

"No, Hermione, it's not alright. I don't like that you are walking around the castle and the castle grounds alone with him at night." His neck began to turn red.

"Honestly, Ronald, I live in the same dormitory as the man. We share a common room, alone. We share a bathroom, alone. We even have access to each other's bedrooms, and we are all alone. Walking around the castle together is not going to be any different, now is it?" She turned away from him and stared down at her food.

"Well, I don't like that either."

"Why are you so upset about this, Ron? I thought you didn't care, remember? I thought that you said you could so much.." Ginny began to say to him before he threw his hand up over her mouth.

"Not another word out of you." He threw his fork down and for the first time, left the table without eating more than one plate of food. Ginny starting giggling after he left.

"What was that?" Hermione asked her. Ginny just shook her head and got up and followed Ron out of the door. Hermione turned to look at Harry and he just shrugged his shoulders like he no clue what was going on and then changed the subject.

"Don't forget that the first Quidditch match is this Friday. Gryffindors versus Hufflepuffs. Be there."

"I wouldn't miss it, Harry." She smiled at him.

"Good," He stood up and kissed her on the cheek and then left as well. Hermione look across the room and saw that Draco was missing. It was almost time for Potions to start and Hermione figured he was probably on his way if he was not already there. She took the last swig of her pumpkin juice, grabbed her bag, and was out the door.


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N It's been a while since I have read Harry Potter and I read somewhere that Snape died. I don't remember this, but I am going to be keeping him alive in this fan fic as well. I do not own anything Harry Potter and I do hope you enjoy this chapter. I know this chapter is shorter, but College started back and what with my creative writing class it's just taking a lot out of me but I promise it will get better and there is still more to come. Please review. **

Chapter 5

Hermione surprised herself and everyone else by being the last person in the classroom. Snape glared at her from where he was standing in the front of the class. "Late, Ms. Granger. Ten points from Gryffindor. Please take your seat" She looked around but her usual seat by Neville was taken by Lavender Brown. In fact the whole seating arrangement in the classroom and moved. The only available seat was by Draco. She sat down and looked towards Harry and Ron. Ron's neck was turning red and Harry just ignored the situation entirely. The atmosphere in the rest of the classroom shifted as everyone took notice of the two enemies sitting in such close proximity. Snape even looked like he had snarled his nose, but finally directed the class back to attention.

"As I was saying, today's lesson will be nothing more than a simple sleeping drought that we have done a million times before, but Madame Pomfrey is need of some and I figured you guys can wait an extra day before we start with the actual class. You will find the instructions sitting at your tables. Please, do not mess these up, I don't want to pick up your slack." Snape sat behind his table starting his own sleeping drought and left the class to work.

"You would think that people would quit staring at us. After all, we share quarters," Hermione said. The entire class took turns stealing glances at the two as they worked on their potion.

"Yes, well, you would think that Snape would make his first years do this instead of us as well, but he isn't. Anyway Granger, I don't think that anyone will ever get used to us. Especially Weasley. All his glares towards me are really getting annoying." He nodded in Ron's direction. Hermione turned to look just as Ron had glared at Draco again. "He's still got a thing for you I take it."

"I guess. I wish he would get over it. He's making me so mad. He questions me all the time, asking about me and you. He doesn't like when we patrol alone, and when I point out that we technically live together he gets all red in the face. It's quite funny actually." Hermione looked up from stirring the potion when she noticed Draco had stopped putting ingredients in. He was staring at her intently. She was almost uncomfortable. "What?"

"Nothing, let's talk later, ok? Anyway, our drought needs to simmer for twenty minutes." He sat down on his chair and pulled out a book. Hermione glanced at the title of it, _Secrets, _a book she had never heard of, but it almost looked muggle. She took her seat beside him. Normally, she would do homework from another class or even read, but today she just wasn't feeling up to it. Instead, she stared across the room looking at nothing in particular. She felt the need to think coming along, and she wished so much she could be outside by the lake. Out of the corner of her eyes she could see Ron staring at her. Why couldn't he just leave her alone? What did it matter if she was sitting with Draco? It was class for crying out loud and the last seat. She turned her face in the opposite direction so she didn't have to look at him. Draco glanced up, thinking she was looking at him, but noticed the stare from Ron. "I can't take it anymore." Hermione looked at him with questioning eyes.

"Can't take what?"

"Those glares from the weasel. I'm putting an end to this now." He handed his book to Hermione, asking her to save his place, then got up and walked over to Ron and Harry's table. "Listen, I would appreciate if you would keep those wondering eyes to yourself. I haven't done anything wrong in the slightest and neither has Hermione. So if you could please, stop annoying us and just leave us be, that would be great."

Ron snapped. "You are calling her Hermione now, and there is an us? You and Hermione are an us?"

"That is not what I mean. Quit jumping to conclusions. Your making a bloody arse of yourself like you always do. Yes, I called her Hermione. That's her name. You act like I called her a horrible name." Draco was growing tired of his childish games.

"Whatever it is, that is going on here, it's not normal. Your up to something ferret." Ron spat in his face. Draco wiped it off and walked away. He took his book back from Hermione and continued to read. Hermione was mystified for more reasons than one. She was mystified because if Draco had wanted to he could have easily physically done something to Ron. No magic was done, and she nor Harry had to intervene. Plus, Snape had watched the entire thing and didn't deduct any points from any houses. Hermione didn't even think she could deduct points and she was Head Girl.

Class passed by without anymore interruptions and everyone's droughts were successful. Although, it would be hard to mess them up. They were the most basic among basic potions to make. Hermione left without a word to Ron or Harry. She couldn't muffle up anything if she tried at this point. Instead, she headed straight upstairs to her dorm to put her books away. It was only two in the afternoon and all her classes were done for the day. She wanted to go out by the lake and just relax.

The walk to the dorm wasn't a quick and easy one like she had planned. She turned the corner just as soon as she had gotten off the staircase and ran right into Pansy Parkinson. "Mudblood. We have a problem. I don't like you being all nice to Draco. Regardless if the war is over or not, or whether Draco has blown a gasket and decided to become a "nice" guy, he is still a pure blood and you are tainting him with you're scum blood self. I just might have to take care of things myself, since Draco isn't in his right mind."

"Fifteen points from Slytherin for the use of fowl language. Thirty points for threatening your Head Girl. Anything else that comes out of your mouth my result in a detention, so you might want to rethink things. Oh, and Draco is not insane, he has just wizened up. That's something you and your Neanderthal friends should think about." Hermione retaliated back with force. She was tired of Pansy and her constant need to be a witch, and not in the magical sense.

"He's lost everyone of his friends, Mudblood. You would think he would be smart if he wanted them back and not hang around with the likes of you. You are making things harder for him by being nice. I want my Drakie back and I won't stop at anything to get him back." She turned around and stormed off.

"Another fifteen from Slytherin for the use of fowl language again!" Hermione shouted after her. She felt accomplished for having taken sixty points away from her today but also felt bad because it was Draco's house. She continued her way up to her dorm, still with a confused mind, and angry at how Pansy had made her feel.

Draco was fighting with himself. The constant battle was making him grow tired. The last couple of weeks he pushed himself to be nicer to everyone, except Weasley. No matter what happened he didn't think he could. Weasley hated him too much and Draco wasn't very fond of him either. Hermione had grown on him. He found that he actually enjoyed her company and that their relationship might be just what he needed, which is why the glares the weasel had been giving him were really irritating. Yes, Draco had been a real arse in the past, and yes he really deserved everything that happened to him in the past. He really felt horrible about how he had treated everyone, especially Hermione. She didn't deserve the constant name calling and she really was a nice enough person. After all, she was only mean when someone was mean to her first. God, he could kill himself for everything he had ever done in the past. The influences of his father had been to strong and he had feared him so much. He wanted nothing at all more than to get rid of all memories of his father. He heard the portrait swing open and heard Hermione storm through talking to herself and slamming her books on the nearby table. Draco was lying on the couch out of sight, so it was no wonder he startled Hermione when he sat up and asked her what was wrong.

She walked toward the couch and stood right beside him. "If I tell you, you can't get mad." She pointedly looked at him, knowing full well he had a bad temper that easily provoked, just like Ron.

"I promise." He stuck out his pinky and wrapped it around hers.

"Pansy cornered me in the hall. Said I was ruining you and I was tainting you and she would stop at nothing to get you back, basically threatening me." She tried to hide the emotion in her eyes. It really honestly did hurt her that someone said she was ruining him. "So I took around sixty points from Slytherin."

"Well you should have he said." He had noticed the hurt in her eyes and the attempt of retreating emotion. Pansy had always angered him and now she was angering him more. He stood up off the couch and made his way to Hermione. Before he knew what he was doing he pulled her into him, wrapping his arm around her shoulders and cupping her head with his hand. She held tightly to him around his waste, with her head placed on his chest. They stood that way for a couple of minutes, both feeling the pounding heartbeat from one another. Draco let go first. "Listen, I've got something to take care of. I will see you in a little while, ok?" Hermione nodded and watched as Draco left the common room.

Hermione almost couldn't breath with the rush of emotion that just came through her. She needed someone to talk to. Harry? Ginny? Both? She ran out of the common room and straight towards Gryffindor tower.

All the people in the common room looked up when Hermione busted through the portrait, certainly surprised. She stopped beside a table completely out of breath and leaned on it for support. Lavender Brown, who was sitting at the table, asked her what was wrong.

"Nothing. Have you seen Harry and Ginny?"

"Yeah, they went out to the lake, for a little only time from my Ron I suppose." She beamed when she said that.

"Your Ron?" Hermione questioned.

"Yeah, he asked me out earlier today. I happily said yes. Are you ok with that?"

"Yeah, I'm fine with that. I got to go." Hermione really was fine with that, in a manner of speaking. She never really liked Lavender but maybe this would mean Ron would be out of her hair. She left through the portrait and made her way towards the lake. She found them by the same tree she had been a few weeks back. "Harry, Ginny!" They both turned to look at her. "I have got to talk to you." Plopping down beside them, she began to recap everything that had just happened between her and Draco, starting with the whole Pansy fiasco.


	6. Apology

Guys! I just want to apologize. I am borrowing a friend's computer right now and the chapter that I had written for the next chapter was on my computer and it wasn't quite finished. Then my computer decided it wanted to crash so I never got a chance to finish it. I have tried to rewrite the chapter on here, but I feel like I am missing detail that it on my computer. I thought I would have my computer fixed by now, but it isn't. Don't give up on me guys. The chapter is coming. I promise! Please, hang in there!


	7. Chapter 6

**A/N: I apologize for this being so late. I had to go back and rewrite this chapter. They swiped my whole computer and I lost everything. Thank you for staying loyal and for all the reviews. I really appreciate them. **

**I do not own anything Harry Potter.  
**

"Wow, just wow." This was all Ginny could manage to get out of her mouth.

"You're telling me." Hermione still hadn't wrapped her mind around everything completely. Harry had sat silent the entire time she had been telling them the story and his face was like a blank canvas. No emotion, no anything. He just stared out onto the lake. "What do you think about all this, Harry?" Hermione asked him, trying to bring the life back into him and curious to know where his mind was going.

"It's all rather funny, 'Mione. He goes away for a summer, and all the sudden he has changed into some saint. It's just not Malfoy." He turned to look at her.

"That's my point, Harry. He's not, Malfoy. Or at least, he's not the same Malfoy. I can see your still skeptical about him, as am I. But I like this version of him and living with him has been rather nice. He hasn't given me a reason to not trust him." She turned to Ginny with a look that screamed help.

"Harry… she has a point." Ginny wrapped her arms around her boyfriend's waist as she scooted closer behind him and rested her chin on his shoulder. He laid his head back on her.

"What about the last seven years? That hasn't changed," he pointed out to them.

"The past is the past. It happened but why dwell on it?" Hermione made her point and they all sat silent for a while before Hermione excused herself and made her way back to the head's common room.

* * *

Meanwhile, Draco had made his way down to the Slytherin common room. Pansy was not going to start trouble. Not right now. He walked straight in and the entire room went silent. Pansy and Blaise sat next to each other on one of the dramatically fancy couches. Perfect, he could knock out to birds with one stone. With a couple of long strides he stood directly in front of them.

"Listen to me and listen thoroughly. I chose to leave this life behind. It wasn't who I wanted to be. It surprises me that neither of you did the same. You watched your families fall, and if you ask me they fell rather quickly. But far be from it to tell you how to live your life, so you won't tell me how to live mine." He turned to look directly at Pansy. "If anyone is tainting and has ever tainted me it would be the likes of you. Don't threaten her, and don't threaten me. If I hear anything or see anything else similar to this then there will be hell to pay. I can promise you that. And as for the rest of you," he shouted facing the entirety of the common room, "I, Draco Malfoy, am only associated with the Slytherin House by the choice of the sorting hat. I gave every right to being a Slytherin up a long time ago, and being a Slytherin is not much of a right anyway. It's more of an imprisonment. So enjoy your slavery, enjoy bearing the shackles that you all have formed and oh, so willingly accepted around your ankles. I'm done with lot you." No one said anything as they watched him leave. As soon as he stepped out of the common room he let out a huge breath. He had been wanting to tell them off for quite some time and it was a big relief that he actually got to. He made his way toward the great room. Dinner would be starting soon.

* * *

Hermione didn't remember falling asleep, let alone crawling into bed, but she ended up sleeping all the way through dinner. To make matters worse, her stomach was grumbling so loudly from hunger she thought the lady in the portrait would be able to hear it. It wasn't until she began to walk down to the common room before she started to smell food. The aroma was very intoxicating and it made her descend from the stairs faster than normal.

"What's this?" She asked seeing the delicious looking meal resting on the table.

"Food," Draco said coming out of the bathroom. "I thought you would like some considering you didn't make it to dinner."

Smiling, she popped a piece of a roll into her mouth. "Looking for me were you?"

He smirked at her and headed up towards his room. "Your welcome," he called over his shoulder.

"Thank you, Draco," Hermione replied back. Then remembering their conversation in Potion's class that day she called him back down the stairs. " Draco, remember how you said we would talk later? What were you going to say?"

"Yeah, about that. It wasn't anything important. I think I am going to go get some rest. Goodnight, Hermione." He gave her a smile as he turned and left. To say she was highly confused would be just about right. In more ways than one. She knew they were on a civil level with each other but it kind of seemed like they were becoming friends. Yet, she didn't know if it was right to call him a friend.

That night she heard screaming coming from Draco's room. Afraid, she grabbed her wand and ran next door. She peered inside very wary and didn't see anyone attacking him. Realizing he was having a nightmare, she ran towards him to wake him up. "Draco! Wake up! Please, wake up!" With all her might, she shook him. Finally, he sat up gasping for air. "Draco, are you alright?" He turned away from her trying to hide his face but she still noticed the tears coming out of his eyes. Gently, she turned his face back towards her. "It's ok to be scared when you have nightmares. You know that, right?" As she spoke, she wiped away the tears on his cheeks. He rested his hand on hers.

"You ask me all the time why I am being so nice to you. So, why are you being so nice to me?"

She considered his question before she gave him an answer. "In the beginning it was just because I was surprised with you, and I thought if he could be nice then so could I. Now, it's because everyone deserves someone, a friend, and now that I know you are a human being under the rough, tough exterior, I want to be that friend." She pulled herself up on to his bed. "You are not who everyone thinks you are. And I honestly believe that. Otherwise, the person you let everyone see in the past would still be here threatening me within in a inch of my life for running into your bedroom in the middle of the night, let alone wiping your tears away."

He smiled at her and dropped his hand. She immediately reached down to hold it. He rubbed his thumb along her hand as he thought of what to say next. "I didn't have an answer for you that night we patrolled. I'm not sure I have the exact answer now. I'm still trying to work it out in my head. I had no intention of becoming friends with you when we got back to school. I did, however, know it was going to be you that got Head Girl. Anyone with a brain would have seen that coming. I just didn't want to fight. Not anymore. I didn't want anything to do with my old life. The second my father got locked in Azkaban was the best moment of my life. I was finally free." He got up and walked towards his window to stare at the moon. "None of my so called friends were as accepting of my decision as you seem to be. They dropped me so fast. Of course, I was only to willing to oblige. I hated every part of being under my father's influence. My inability to be anything but weak and spineless made me a God awful jerk. There were so many times I wished that I could have just been…." he trailed off not wanting to finish his sentence. He had already spilled more than he had originally planned. Not wanting to push him too far Hermione let it slide, even though she was dying to know what he was going to say. Things were quiet for a while. Finally, Draco thanked Hermione for coming to see if he was ok and they both went back to sleep. It seemed talking to Hermione had helped Draco sleep better. He never told anyone anything and he didn't even know why he had told her. He just felt he could.

* * *

Weeks went by and he slept fine. In fact, his new found friendship with Hermione had helped him in more ways than one. He actually had sort of a social life again. Instead of holding themselves up in their dorm to study, they would venture out to the lake to study but when it started to get too cold they would go to the library instead. People started to talk, but Draco found that he didn't really care. Hermione didn't care either.

Harry, despite what he felt on the inside, seemed to be taking their friendship better than anyone would have expected. Ginny was totally alright with it. The one who seemed to have the most trouble with it was Ron. Every time he saw them near each other, he turned red. To avoid them at all cost, he would throw himself into whatever he was doing, like quidditch practice or making out with Lavender. Hermione figured he was mainly making out with her in front of her to make her jealous, but it didn't. It didn't really surprise her that it didn't. She was happy with the way things were

* * *

.

Hermione and Draco had organized a trip to Hogsmeade along with the other prefects, and the day had finally arrived. Everyone had been getting antsy about when the first trip would happen. People grouped off almost instantly and the only group that seemed to have trouble forming was Hermione's. Draco would obviously be going with her, and Ginny wanted to as well. Harry wanted to go with Ginny, but Ron wanted him and Ginny to go with him and Lavender. He refused to be anywhere near Draco. Finally, Hermione had had enough of the back and forth arguing. She suggested that her and Draco go ahead and spend the morning together, and then they could meet back up with Harry and Ginny in the afternoon. Harry said he would, even though inside he still wasn't excited about being on speaking terms with Draco. Yet, Ron wasn't too keen on that idea at all.

"Oh for crying out loud. If it is that big of a deal, then Draco and I will just spend the day alone, Ron. Do you think you will ever grow up?" She made it clear that there was no getting around this one and that she meant business. Draco stood behind her not daring to hide the smirk playing on his face.

"Bug off, Hermione. I'm not the one betraying everyone by befriending the ferret. You're just lucky Ginny and Harry have a heart or you would have no friends at all!"

"Your immaturity never ceases to amaze me. Anytime that Ginny and Harry feel as if they just can't stand to be around me anymore because I made friends with someone that I ordinarily wouldn't have then they are free to go. You of all people should know I don't drop friends for just anything. And I'm not about to start now." She wrapped her arm through Draco's and began to walk away.

"You didn't have a problem dropping me!" He called to her.

Hermione turned around to face him. She let out a small laugh. "That's where your wrong, Ronald. You dropped me. When you mentioned that we needed to break up, remember? I just gave you wanted. And your so damn keen on never letting me forget that. I haven't done anything wrong." She began to walk away again before turning to add one more thing. "By the way, I didn't befriend a ferret. Just like I didn't befriend a weasel." Draco and Hermione walked along the path towards the carriages, leaving Ron in the dust.


	8. Chapter 7

**Sorry this one took so long. School has gotten the better of me. I will try to make the next chapter longer as well. Again, I don't own anything except the story line. **

**Chapter 7**

"Look, Draco! They have a new selection of candy in at Honeydukes! It looks amazing!" She tugged at his arm to drag him along with her.

"I'm not big on candy, Hermione."

She immediately let go of his arm. "Really? Well, alright then." Her face dropped and she started to walk toward the book store. She called over her shoulder to him. "Can we go to the bookstore? I know you like books." He grabbed her arm before she got too far and pulled her back toward Honeydukes.

"Come on. We will go to the bookstore once you get your hands on that candy that you want." She smiled up at him and wrapped her arm through his.

"You surprise me everyday, Draco Malfoy. I thoroughly enjoy it." The smell of sugar permeated the air the second they stepped foot in the door. Hermione breathed in deep and dove towards the new candy. The list was extensive but she found a few she thought were quite interesting.

"What are you getting?" Draco asked her.

"Never-ending caramel swirls, jumping sugar beans, and chocolate thunder. The last one is supposed to rumble when you eat it, so I suppose I won't be eating those in class." She giggled at her statement and bounded up to the counter to pay for your treats. She dug in her purse for her money, but Draco had his out before she knew it and he paid for her candy. "You don't have to that, Draco."

"I know I don't have to, but I want to." He smiled at her and she returned him a thankful one. The rest of the morning they spent pretty much in the bookstore both of them finding a few books they really wanted. Draco of course paid for Hermione's as well as his own. She had never been so thankful towards someone for something so small, but maybe it had been because the only thing that Ron had ever bought her was a chocolate frog and he only did because Harry had recommend he do something nice for her. It was refreshing, because she felt special with him. She wasn't even dating him and he already was treating her better than anyone had in any relationship she had. It was strange feeling but a good one to say the least. They went to the Hogs Head for lunch, where of course they ran into Harry and the rest. Hermione waved nicely at Ginny and Harry then proceeded to walk toward a booth that was across the room from them so that the awkwardness from Ron wouldn't be as predominant.

"Hermione, I feel really awful that you can't sit with your friends. It's not fair to you." He looked down at his hands rather than look her in the face.

"Draco, look at me." His head popped up and she grabbed his hand. "Don't feel sorry. I like hanging out with you, this version of you. The real you. It's not fair that Ron can't get passed his stubborn ways and just accept things the way they are. None of this is your fault. It's a petty jealousy that will hopefully one day go away. Like I said before, if there ever comes a time that my friends just can't be my friends, then I will let them leave graciously. Your not the same person, and we are friends as well. I don't walk away from friendships unless those friendships decide to walk away. Besides, I can meet up with Harry and Ginny later. Maybe I will invite them to our dorm. Ginny definitely doesn't have a problem with you, and I think Harry might come around. Well, he'll come around sooner than Ron will anyway."

Across the room, Ron had noticed their hand holding and began to fume. It took all he had to keep himself form coming undone and diving across the room. Lavender could sense the heat and began to feel a little scared.

"Ronikens? Are you alright?" She placed a dainty hand on his shoulder that he instantly shook off.

"Fine." He said as he stormed out of the pub. The rest of the group could only stare with looks of confusion on their faces.

Hermione watched as Ron stormed out of the pub, and just shrugged it off. He obviously wasn't going to grow up any time soon so she wasn't going to fret. She enjoyed lunch with Draco and then they decided to head back to Hogwarts as they had already pretty much seen everything they wanted too.

They walked through Hogsmeade towards the path to Hogwarts, where the carriages were waiting. Draco grabbed her hand and gave it a squeeze. Hermione didn't bother to drop it from her grip. It felt nice.

"Oi, ferret. Let go of her!" Ron shouted towards them. He was a good ten feet behind them, and had come out of nowhere. Neither one turned around.

"Oi, weasel. I'm not doing anything wrong," he shouted over his shoulder. The next thing he knew, Ron had tackled him. Hermione was shouting trying to get them to stop attacking each other but neither would listen. Ron had Draco pinned on the ground and he gave him a couple of good punches to the face. Draco didn't take those too lightly and wasn't the weakling he was a couple of years ago. He gave Ron a few knocks too, and the next thing either one of the felt was the inability to move any part of their bodies. Hermione has sent a stunning spell.

"I said to knock it off. I am thoroughly disappointed with you, Ronald. At this point, there isn't any hope for us at all. He didn't do anything wrong. You have a girlfriend. So, start treating her like one, and move on from me. We're done, we've been done, and will continue to be done. I want to be your friend, but this can't happen anymore." She levitated him towards Harry, who in turn waited until she had levitated Draco into one of the carriages and was gone before he sent the reverse spell.

"How badly are you hurt?" Hermione asked Draco as checked him from limb to limb. She had reversed the spell prior to the check up.

"Not too bad, but I think I need to go see Madame Pomfrey so I don't have a black eye. Or a fat lip." He started to laugh. "I haven't had one of those since third year."

Hermione's faced turned red instantly as she remembered the solid punch she had given him year's ago. "Sorry about that."

"Don't be, I deserved it. And I must say that you have an excellent right hook."

"Well, you know, it was rather thrilling at the time and a little out of character for me, but very theraputic." She smiled.

"I'd say, getting my few hits in with the weasel made me feel a little better as well. Still, it's going to take some time before anyone gets used to our friendship. I may be in for a few more these." He laid his head back on the back of his seat and closed his eyes. Hermione climbed over to his seat and laid her head on his shoulder.

"Draco, why are you willing to go through this abuse just to be my friend?"

He didn't say anything for a minute. Then, he rested his head on the top of hers. "Because you are all I have."

They sat in that position for the rest of the carriage ride and all through the halls of Hogwarts they were in silent thought. She walked him to the hospital wing and made sure he was comfortable for turning to leave to go back to the dorm.

As she sat on the couch in front of the fireplace, she waited in anticipation for Draco to walk through the portrait hole. Every sound she heard outside she jumped instantly. It felt like years before he finally walked through.

"Hermione, what are you doing?"

"Your face looks better. No more pain?" She was shaking in her shoes.

"No more pain." He smiled at her. "I feel like a new man."

"Good." She strolled up to him, held his face between her hands, and rested her lips upon his.


	9. Chapter 8

**I sincerely apologize for the wait. This is kind of just a filler chapter so bare with me. I have writer's block really bad. Again, I do not own anything except for the new ideas.  
**

Chapter 8

"Why did you do that for?" Draco asked her as soon as she pulled away, not that he didn't enjoy it.

"You are perhaps the sweetest guy ever and I couldn't help it. I just can't believe we hated each other for so long and it took a bloody war to make things right." She buried herself into him laying her face against his chest. His heart was racing fast. Draco wrapped his arms around her and held her tight.

"I can't believe it either." He kissed the top of her head. "I can't believe it either."

"And after everything you've been through, you continue to put up with everyone and the way they treat you just to be near me. It hurts my heart that I am all you have left, but it warms my heart at the same time that I mean that much to you. I am a big ball of emotions."

"When are you not, love?" He tried to joke with her because talking about his feelings and listening to others talk about theirs was still a bit new to him. Hermione gently let go and punched Draco's arm. "Ow. I guess I deserved that."

"Yes, you did." She smiled at him and made her way back to the couch. "Oh, Draco. What are we going to do?"

Draco sat down beside and put his arm around her. "Hermione, if it's too complicated for you we can just end it here?" His heart stopped beating for a minute.

"No! I don't want to end it. If things being complicated means I get to be with you then let things be complicated." She turned away from Draco as soon as she realized what she had said. Did she really just say be with him? Did she mean be with him in that way? Her mind was racing back and forth. She knew she had kissed him but what if she was moving way too fast.

"Alright, then things will just stay complicated. We don't have to push our relationship to anything more than it is. I like you Hermione and when I say like you, I mean I really like you. I know that it would be in our best interest to wait for anything more than our friendship at this point time. Especially with that weasel always on my case. But he needs to know I'm not going anywhere and I damn sure am not going to do anything to hurt you." They stared into each others eyes for a while before Hermione spoke.

"They really misjudge you. This is the side of you they need to see more often. Of course, they have to want to see it. But I agree. I really like you too and we should wait. Just until we know there won't be any bloodshed." She tried to laugh it off even though they both knew that wasn't going to be easy in the slightest.

* * *

The next morning Hermione woke and went downstairs for breakfast. She left a note for Draco saying that she would meet up with him a little later, but she had some things she had to take care of first. When she entered the grand hall she immediately spotted the threesome noticing that Ron hadn't bothered to get his face touched up at all. She stood beside the three without even making an attempt to sit down.

"Listen to me, the lot of you. Draco and I, we are friends. We will continue to be friends. Nothing any of you say or do is going to change that. I love you all, you know I do." Ron let out a slight hmph, which made Hermione jerk towards him. "I DO! DO NOT EVEN BEGIN THAT ATTITUDE WITH ME THIS MORNING! AS I WAS SAYING, I love each and everyone one of you and I would do anything for you. I would even but up with your _annoying _mates," she emphasized towards Ron, "and any other annoyance that might come along. So, if you love me as much as I love you then you should be able to do that. And if you can't, then maybe we aren't as close as I thought. But, I love him too. You need to get to know the man that I do because then maybe if you did, you can at least see why we are friends. Even if you can't be his friend, you could at least see why we are. He means as much to me as the rest of you do. So let up on him and give him a chance." She didn't wait for anyone to say anything. She reached over and grabbed a biscuit before turning around and walking out of the grand hall. She needed a library break.

* * *

Draco found her exactly where she always is. She sits in the deepest corner of the library where the big, comfy armchair that seemed to be made for her rested. He walked up behind her and kissed her softly on the top of her head. "Having a good read, love?"

She smiled up at him and closed her book. "Just needed a break away for a bit. I just lectured my friends about us. I'm sure they are going to get tired of it, but it's what I do. Surprisingly, I can admit that."

"It's what you do best." He sat down across from her. "You know, it's really beautiful outside. You want to go have a read by the lake? It will get us out of the dark and dusty old library and into something brighter." She nodded. Draco grabbed a rolled up book he had stuck in his back pocket. It was very thin and he would go through it in no time, but he just wanted to be by her side. He would read it three times over if he had too.

* * *

"Hermione's right, Harry. We should give Draco a chance. Or rather the two of you should give Draco a chance. I don't want to lose Hermione and this isn't fair to her. She's got a heart of gold. That's why she got to like him sooner. I like him. He seems genuine and I don't say that about a lot of people." She kept nudging her boyfriend.

"Ginny, I already said that I would hang around him and try to get a long. I was willing to do that yesterday. I think her speech was more for Ron than anyone, and ok slightly me as well," he added when he noticed Ginny glare at him, "I will do what it takes to make you both happy, but I cannot say the same for Ron."

"Let's just focus on you for now. Ron will either come around or he won't and frankly I could care less. I just wish he would realize that if he doesn't then he's going to be in for a lifetime of being miserable because if you ask me I think Draco and Hermione could be getting close to being more than just friends." She kissed Harry on the forehead and made her way out of the Gryffindor common room leaving him to ponder over what she just said. Harry began to get anxious. Ginny always had a knack for picking out relationships before they actually happened. Whether Harry liked it or not, he and Draco were going to in each others lives for the long hall.

Ron had overheard everything that Ginny said to Harry and was immediately infuriated. He stormed over to where Harry was sitting and started pounding the pillow next to him. "I hate that stupid ferret. He's ruining everything!" Harry moved over towards the other side of the couch so as to not be accidentally hit.

"Ron, don't get made when I say this. He's not ruining everything. You pretty much gave up any chance of ever getting Hermione back with all the stunts you've pulled lately. You know how she is and you sent her over the edge." He waited for the shouting he knew was coming. Ron looked at him. Surprisingly for Harry, an understanding look fell upon Ron's face.

"I know. I know. I keep doing it. I don't know how not to be mad at the situation and I know it's all my fault because I've always been a git. I don't care. I can't be ok with Malfoy. I just can't." He walked off towards the sleeping quarters. Harry sat in amusement, astonished that for once Ron owned up to something.


End file.
